


Streams

by slime_hawk



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: M/M, Multi, Study Date, Twitch Streaming, fanboy!Takumi, fire emblem within fire emblem, streamer!Leo, very gay, will tag as things happen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-15 23:55:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7243984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slime_hawk/pseuds/slime_hawk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leo is a small twitch streamer, and Takumi is a fan. One day, Takumi finds out that Leo goes to his college, and is actually in his history class. The two boys meet because Takumi can't control his body when he's shocked. </p><p>Based on an anon that someone on tumblr got.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is very self-indulgent and it will probably be edited at least once in the future because I have high standards for myself. That being said, please enjoy the gays.

Takumi should have been studying. Really, he should have been studying for several hours, but instead he sat in front of his computer, scrolling through tumblr while he waited for today's stream to start. Twitch was dual screened alongside his dash, set to Brynhilder's away picture of his usual avatar. The raven haired boy smirked back at Takumi, seemingly teasing him for being so invested. He often would shake his head back, telling him that no, it was normal to have crushes on streamers. It's like having a crush on a celebrity. Except he'd never even seen a picture of the boy.

                The screen switched to black suddenly, and Takumi held his breath, waiting for the voice he had grown accustomed to.

                "Hello, everyone, glad you could make it today." Leon said, sounding tired and smug as usual. Takumi could imagine the broad smirk and the mischevious look lighting up his eyes. Idly, he wondered for what must be the hundredth time what color his eyes really were, instead of the red that his avatar had.

                "Yeah, I've got midterms coming up, so of course I'm procrastinating studying or being productive by doing inane things like streaming and marathoning Fire Emblem games." The voice spoke through Takumi's headphones, delighting the boy. He loved Fire Emblem, and if he was correct... "Today we're gonna be starting Awakening."

                "Yes!" Takumi shouted with a fist pump as the screen came to life with the opening to the game. He did a little spin in his chair, accidentally ripping out his headphones. "Shit."

                Over the speakers, the voice continued. "And yes, I am aware that I have streamed Awakening before, but it is my favorite game to calm down to and my professors are absolute jackasses this semester."

                Nodding, Takumi plugged his headphones back in, then stared down at the review that his history professor gave him. Just like Leon, midterms were coming up and his professors were total jerks, giving him barely any notice of what would be on them. Instead of being a good student and opening his history book, he settled into his chair, placing his fingers on his key board.

 

trashfucker69: blow ur teachers

trashfucker69: extra credit

odindark: Leon is of the noblest caliber and will not do any dastardly deeds of the sort, Niles!!!!!!!!!

fujin__yumi: fuckign same bro, my history professor gave us one sheet of paper with terms on it

 

                Leon's melodious chuckle rang in Takumi's ears and he could feel himself blush just a bit. "Niles, you told me the same thing yesterday, and I hate to encourage Odin, but he's right. I don't want to, erm, bribe my professors. And my professor did the same, Yumi. Perhaps it's a history professor thing."

                Takumi smiled. He had recently started talking in the chat, as he'd been too nervous before, and whenever Leon replied he felt like his heart would beat out of his chest. Maybe he was a little too invested.

 

notcorn: i bET YER NOT GONNA PLAY ON LUNATIC

notcorn: no ballz!!

notcorn: you wont!!

 

                "Corrin, the point of playing this is to relax, not pull out my hair in frustration while grinding my teeth down to stubs." Leon said, pointedly sounding exasperated.

                Another usual, another person that Leon knew in real life. Takumi had counted at least 4 of them, including Niles, Odin, Corrin, and someone named Elise, who was jokingly told to leave by Leon.

 

trashfucker69: baby if u need to wind down i can help u

trashfucker69: if u know what i mean ;)

 

                Takumi's face heated up as his stomach filled with uncomfortable butterflies. Niles had always made sexual comments but this was the first time that he had called Leon "baby".  Takumi bit his lip, hoping that Leon would say something soon.

                Moments passed before he heard a disgusted scoff. "Niles, I'll have you know that it wasn't funny the first time you offered to have sexual relations with me and it hasn't been funny since."

                Breathing a sigh of relief (man, he had it bad for this faceless boy), Takumi laid his head on his chin while he watched the chat for Niles' reply.

 

trashfucker69: baby ur so cold

trashfucker69: i just offered u a favor

trashfucker69: damn

               

                He laughed to himself as he set out to type again.

 

fujin__yumi: rejected

trashfucker69: shut up

 

                Having selected beginner and casual, Leon now set out to create his character. Takumi hoped that he might make someone that looked like him, so he could at least kind of imagine who Leon was, but Leon paused.

                "I really don't know if I want to be male or female this run. I could marry Chrom like my first run, but I could marry Tharja or Olivia. Hmm, I could marry Libra." He switched between male and female rapidly, finally settling on being male. "I guess I'll just use my usual."

                Takumi frowned, then shrugged. He guessed it would remain a mystery. Unless...

 

fujin__yumi: do you actually look like your usual avatar?

 

                Leon hummed, and Takumi leaned forward in his chair. "No, I do not, actually. I'd say I look quite different."

 

trashfucker69: poor leon wants to look like the emo prince he is on the inside

odindark: Milord already looks like a prince!!!!!

 

                "Oh, shut up you two. My avatar is just what I've been using for a long time, pay them no mind." Leon said with a small laugh.

                Takumi guessed that was all he would get. Curiosity temporarily satisfied, he picked up his pencil and flipped open his notebook and textbook to start studying. He drifted into a comfortable pace to the sound of Leon's voice. It was just a normal night for him.

* * *

The next day, Takumi had class. Luckily his first class, history, was not until 9 am, giving him plenty of time to wake up and wrestle his hair into its ponytail before setting off, stopping by McDonalds on the way there. He really needed coffee after staying up to watch Leon's stream. He knew he wasn't the healthiest guy, but he was okay with that, since he at least did some sort of sport. Archery was good for the arms and core, and he had a bit of muscle to cover his bones, though there wasn't much fat to speak of.  He wasn't nearly as strong as his best friends, Hinata and Oboro, but he wasn't a total couch potato.

                He made it to class barely on time, coffee in hand, and rushed to his seat near the back. Today was to be the last day of notes before the midterm, so he made sure to grab out his pencil and notebook. On the front, Oboro had drawn an elaborate pattern, and Takumi smiled at the memory of her pride over it. She had scanned it and saved several copies on her computer, raving about how she'd have to custom order some fabric with the design. He flipped the notebook open to the latest page just as the professor, Mr. Yukimura, walked in with his regular curt greeting.

                The class passed way too slow for Takumi, who was barely staying awake. It wasn't until the end of class that he truly felt awake.

                Mr. Yukimura had asked his students if they had any questions over the midterm, and after a few had asked their questions, a surprising voice caught Takumi's attention.

                "I was just wondering if there will be any particular focus on the war between Nohr and Hoshido, and what we'll need to know about it." Leon said, his voice just as smooth and even in person as it was over speakers and through headphones.

                In surprise, Takumi kicked the chair of his desk with a loud thump, causing the desk to rattle. Everyone stared at him in confusion, and Mr. Yukimura looked at Takumi from over his glasses. Takumi gulped.

                "Is everything alright, Mr. Hisakawa?" The professor asked dryly.

                "U-uh huh, yes, sorry. There was a -- uh -- bug. And it crawled on me." Takumi stammered, feeling dozens of eyes on him. He turned to look at Leon, who was staring back at him with a cold glare. He looked away.

                "Right, well," Mr. Yukimura said, obviously not convinced, turning back to Leon, "To answer your question, Mr. Fournier --"

                Takumi then zoned out, not giving a single shit about whether or not he knew what the professor was droning on about. He was too busy staring at Leon Fournier, who was sitting a few rows to his left.

                Leon was not lying when he said that he didn't look much like his avatar; instead of black hair, the boy had light golden locks that were pulled back into a headband, perhaps to keep them out of his face. His skin was very pale as well, seemingly flawless save for a few acne scars that had faded with age. His eyes, framed with long lashes, were a warm brown, and incredibly pretty, Takumi thought. Takumi's eyes flickered down to his thin lips, which he also thought were pretty, but when he looked back up, Leon was staring back at him again. Takumi again looked away, feeling his face turning bright red. Surely Leon thought he was strange now. Maybe he had even figured out that Takumi was a fan.

                "Well, if no one has anymore questions, you are all dismissed." Mr. Yukimura said with a flick of his wrist.

                Takumi tried to gather all of his belongings as quick as he could, but Leon left all of his belongings at his desk, walking straight up to him. Takumi stared up in horror at the blonde, who placed his hands behind his back, fixing his glare on the scared boy.

                "Do you have a problem with me?" He asked simply.

                Caught off guard, Takumi stayed silent for a moment. "Um, no, I don't. You just sound like someone I know, so I, uh, was surprised."

                Leon's glare softened a bit, and Takumi wasn't sure if it was because he bought the terrible lie, or if Leon noticed how terrified he was. "Very well." He said, turning to walk away.

                "Wait!" Takumi yelped, and Leon turned back to him, his brow cocked.

                "Yes?" Leon asked.

                Takumi, panicked for a second, then fixed Leon with a lopsided grin, which he was sure looked stupid. "I don't think we've actually met. I'm Takumi."

                Leon smirked, making Takumi melt just a bit. "I don't think we have either. I'm Leo. It's nice to meet you."

                Leo? Takumi was confused, but he tried not to let it show. "Well, Leo." He tested, waiting to see if the blonde would correct him, "how would you feel about studying for this midterm together?"

                Leon -- no, Leo -- raised his brow again, but did not show any sign of distaste. "I think that would be very beneficial. Two sets of notes is better than one. But I must warn you, I quite like history."

                "I do too, actually. It's my favorite subject. " Takumi said with a growing smile. "Since I was young I've read history books for fun, mainly on Hoshidan traditions and history."

                "How funny," Leo said, "I did the same with books on Nohr."

                Takumi felt warm inside, mainly because Leo was looking at him with this peculiar expression of surprise and interest. He had never imagined meeting this boy, let alone planning a study date, or rather, study session.

                "Well, Takumi, I think we're going to get along rather well." Leo said, his smirk momentarily turning into a real smile. "How about we meet up at the school library on Thursday at 1 o'clock?"

                Takumi nodded. "That works for me."

                "Then I'll see you on thursday, Takumi." Leo said, and Takumi thought that his mouth looked beautiful saying his name.

                "I'll see you then, Leo." Takumi said, and unbeknownst to him, Leo thought the same thing while he turned to walk away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys' meeting from Leo's point of view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, I know you probably wanted the date, but I wanted to have this just before. I know it's so short ;o; With any luck, the date will be up sometime today, written from both perspectives simultaneously. I just need to binge read some examples first so I don't give you poor writing anymore. 
> 
> Also, I really like describing Takumi. Any Takumi. Give me Takumi with acne and crooked teeth and laugh lines, give me Takumi with flawless skin and a perfect smile and expressionless eyes, give me Takumi with short hair, long hair, naturally curly hair, stick straight hair, just. Give. Me. Takumi.

                 Leo was having a long day. It was 9 am and he already hated life. Staying up late to finish his stream was not a good idea, but he caved in and did it all the time anyway. Streams were a happy place for him, a place where he could air out whatever was in his mind and talk to strangers about things that he loved. They were a place where the only rules he had to follow were in his games. Still, he probably shouldn't let himself get carried away the night before he had class. Especially history, for he did love it, but damn was it easy to get lost in the names and dates and just fall asleep.

                He was struggling to keep up that day, but he didn't let himself look at the clock. That would just make time pass slower. He vaguely tried to pay attention, as if there was anything he didn't know from his binge reading history books, including his textbook for this class. He wondered why he took such an interest in history, and why he didn't find the same satisfaction in numbers or art.

                Leo was pondering this, having completely given up on paying attention, when he realized that Mr. Yukimura had changed his tone entirely.

                "Alright everyone, that concludes the notes for today. As you know, your midterm is next class, so if you have any questions over the material, now would be the time to ask." The professor said.

                Leo raised his hand, not because there was anything he really needed to ask, but because his best topic in history was the war between Nohr and Hoshido, and it'd be a damn good thing if the midterm had a lot about that war on it. Finally Mr. Yukimura looked in Leo's direction and addressed him.

                 "I was just wondering if there will be any particular focus on the war between Nohr and Hoshido, and what we'll need to know about it."  He said apathetically.

                And just as he finished, he heard a loud thump to his left, followed by a strangled yelp.  Leo turned to find someone staring at him, face bright red, as if Leo weren't supposed to be sitting there.

                "Is everything alright, Mr. Hisakawa?" The professor asked dryly.

                 "U-uh huh, yes, sorry. There was a -- uh -- bug. And it crawled on me."  The boy barely got the reply out of his mouth, his voice shaky and off kilter. Leo narrowed his eyes at him.

                 "Right, well," Mr. Yukimura said, obviously not convinced, turning back to Leo, "To answer your question, Mr. Fournier, I'd say there will be a decent chunk focused on that particular war, but I wouldn't waste all of your time on just that one."

                Leo nodded, and then looked over to study the strange boy who was still staring at him for some reason. His amber eyes that looked so bewildered were also deep and Leo could see lines around his eyes, suggesting that they were expressive. His tan skin was pulled taught over high cheek bones that gave him a sharp appearance, and though he had a few blemishes, Leo thought that they suited the boy. He had never found acne to be the flaw that others did. The boy's mouth still hung agape, showing off slightly crooked teeth, which Leo would later admit to be one of the cutest set of teeth he'd ever seen. The way that one of his big teeth had slid in front of the other was adorable to the blonde. Really, most everything had Leo thinking this strange kid was cute.

                And then there was his hair. It was so long, down to his mid-back even when in a ponytail, and this shiny silver.  Shorter layers poked out at the top, fanning out in a wild manner. Leo held back a snort as he mused that it mildly resembled the leaves atop a pineapple. In all seriousness though, He couldn’t help but want to run his fingers through this boy’s hair. It looked so soft, even if it got a bit unruly towards the bottom, as if he was running late and forgot to comb through the ends.

                This was becoming quite the staring contest, Leo had thought, just when the other rushed to look away. He'd gotten that look again, as if he was shocked and betrayed that Leo had existed in the same room as him. Leo needed to know what was up, needed to know what the hell this kid's deal was.

                He heard the familiar noise of a chair being pushed back, and he noticed everyone gathering their stuff, so he decided to make his move. Leo pushed his chair back with a loud scraping noise and marched right over to the boy, bouncing lightly on his feet when he stopped in front of him. He found it hard to make eye contact for some reason, but he tried to set his glare on the boy as he asked, "Do you have a problem with me?"

                The boy pursed his lips for a moment, looking distressed. "Um, no, I don't. You just sound like someone I know, so I, uh, was surprised."

                Leo noticed the other's hands shaking slightly as they fidgeted on his desk. He wasn't sure he entirely believed him, but he didn't want to frighten him any longer. "Very well." Leo said, turning to walk away.

                "Wait!" The boy yelped.

                "Yes?" Leo asked, fixing a curious eye on him.

                Suddenly the boy did something very peculiar and very, very cute. He grinned, lopsided, and said, "I don't think we've actually met. I'm Takumi."

                "I don't think we have either. I'm Leo. It's nice to meet you." Leo said with a small smirk. Takumi, huh? That's a good name.

                "Well, Leo." Takumi said, "how would you feel about studying for this midterm together?"

                Leo was the one to be caught off guard this time. He thought for a moment, and then realized there were worse things in the world than being asked to study with a cute boy. "I think that would be very beneficial. Two sets of notes are better than one. But I must warn you, I quite like history."

                "I do too, actually. It's my favorite subject.“ Takumi said with a growing smile. ”Since I was young I've read history books for fun, mainly on Hoshidan traditions and history."

                 "How funny," Leo said, "I did the same with books on Nohr." He'd never imagined meeting someone with his same passion for history. He knew someone had to be out there, but meeting them like this? How strange.

                "Well, Takumi, I think we're going to get along rather well." Leo said, feeling himself smile. "How about we meet up at the school library on Thursday at 1 o'clock?"

                Takumi nodded. "That works for me."

                "Then I'll see you on Thursday, Takumi." Leo was looking forward to it.

                "I'll see you then, Leo." Takumi said, and Leo couldn't help but love the way his name sounded coming from his lips.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Takumi study together with a mild interuption.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I did end up deciding that the boys would be Ill™. Thank you for all of the feedback ! Unfortunately, I can't reply to all of the comments, which means I cannot reply to any. Thanks OCD ! But I really do appreciate all of the comments on my author's note. It was sweet to read what some of you wrote. Now without further ado, The Gays™.

                 Leo was always early to things. When he was little, he'd beg his father to take him to school early just so he'd know he'd be on time, so it was no surprise that he found himself at the school library at a quarter to one, sitting at a table with coffee in one hand and an everything bagel in the other. His bag sat in the chair next to him, meaning Takumi would likely sit across from him. Leo sat at one of the tables just across from the front doors so he would be seen immediately.

                He was nothing if not prepared, so why was he nervous? Perhaps it was because he knew he had rushed to say yes to a boy that he hardly knew besides the facts that he was cute and he liked history. Or maybe it was because he was still puzzled about Takumi's reaction to hearing him speak. What was with that?

                 Leo shook his head to try and clear it, but he only succeeded in rattling his thoughts around. Placing his face in his hands, he sunk down a bit in his chair. He was starting to regret saying yes just because of how anxious he was becoming, with his pulse thumping painfully in his neck and hands. He used one hand to reach down into his bag, feeling around for a small container that held his pills.

                He had been so distracted by his anxiety that he didn't notice the doors swing open, a faintly familiar figure approaching slowly. He'd managed to find the little box and extract it from his bag by the time Takumi plopped down in the seat across from him, startling Leo.

                "Hi, Leo-" Takumi started, before realizing the paleness of Leo's face, along with his frightened expression. "I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

                Leo fidgeted with his pill box under the table, nodding slightly. "Just a bit. I'm alright, though."

                He breathed in and out a few times before bringing his pill box above to set it on the table top. "Sorry, I need to take one of my, um, anxiety pills."

                Takumi nodded, an understanding expression spreading on his face. His voice was soft as he said, "That's alright."

                Leo popped open the box and picked up the little white pill before tossing it into his mouth and taking a swig of his coffee. "So how are you?" He asked quietly, cursing himself for being awkward.

                "I'm doing alright," Takumi said with a smile. "I'm ready for midterms to be over with so I can go back to slacking off."

                Leo chuckled. "I am too, honestly. I haven't studied this much since my last AP class."

                "Ugh, I do not miss those at all. I didn't think I'd like college better but I do." Takumi said.

                "I agree completely. High school was much worse than this, in many ways." Leo felt himself grimace.

                Takumi mumbled an agreement, his eyes flickering down to his hands. "Yeah, tell me about it. I had this friend who had a huge crush on me, and she was a really good person, deep down, but being the object of her obsession was not very fun. She wouldn't let any other girl near me, practically."

                "That does sound troubling." Leo said, his ears burning at the word "obsession". Takumi didn't know what he had said, though, so it wouldn't be right to call him out. Leo could feel himself retracting from this stranger bit by bit.

                "Oh, it wasn't so bad." Takumi assured him, shaking his head. "Oboro and I ended up good friends and she got over me by ending up dating my other best friend, Hinata. I never really minded her possessiveness."

                Leo hummed in reply. He wanted to be open to this person, he wanted to push himself, but that was scary. He frowned. "I was like your friend when I was in high school. I had a huge crush on someone, so much so that I gained a huge reputation in our marching band. Luckily, that reputation dissipated as people forgot about the crush and I got over it, but I could never shake the feeling that people were, you know, judging me."

                "Oh, I'm sorry, Leo. I'm actually really sorry if my story brought back some bad memories." Takumi's face contorted into a guilty expression.

                Leo smiled, shaking his head. "No, it's alright. I ended up getting my diagnosis because of that situation. As it turns out, I've had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder since I was a small child. I guess my obsessions just happened to be people and ideas."

                "Oh, I see." Takumi nodded, appearing to be in thought.

                Panic struck at Leo's heart suddenly, and he fumbled to get the next words out correctly. "Well, I am rather sorry that I muddied our conversation with illness talk. That doesn't usually happen, I apologize."

                "No, no! It's alright!" Takumi assured him, then smiled warmly. Leo made himself breathe in and out a few times. "Really, it's just weird to hear someone being open about it. I've never been able to be so honest."

                "What do you mean?" Leo asked.

                Takumi shrugged. "I have anxiety and, uh, depression. It's not something that I talk about very often though."

                "You don't have to talk about it just because I did." Leo said, feeling guilty.

                "Thank you." Takumi smiled. "Besides, we should probably start studying."

                And so they did. And Leo had never felt more on the same page with someone when it came to history. Even his history teachers sometimes couldn't keep up with him, quietly spouting off facts that weren't in the text book. There was only one teacher who could, a man that he now called Gunter instead of his last name. They often held class discussions hostage, especially when he had taken AP Nohrian History. He felt that same feeling here with Takumi, the small rush of knowing what to say when he needed to. Most of the time he got caught up in his head, practicing what to say. This felt good and wholesome to him, however. It felt organic.

                Before they knew it, they were exchanging not just history facts and question, but also stories and laughs. So of course, when they were discussing the end of the war between Nohr and Hoshido, Leo caught sight of a familiar nest of white, wavy hair.

                Sneaking up behind Takumi was Niles, his usual devious smirk in place. Leo tried to discreetly signal to Niles that now was not the time for his shenanigans, but the white haired boy was not having it. Niles leaned up against the table, right next to Takumi.

                "Oh, hello, Leo. I didn't realize you had a date today. Is now a bad time?" Niles teased.

                Leo struggled to hold back a groan. "It's always a bad time when it comes to you, Niles." He peeked across at Takumi to find not a bewildered expression, but an expression of familiarity. Puzzled, Leo knew he'd have to ask if they knew each other after Niles was done making a spectacle of himself.

                "I see you're not denying that it's a date. Is it a first date? Or perhaps a third date?" Instead of stopping, Niles rushed right into his next comment. "You know, they always say that a couple can have sex after a third date. Do you guys have condoms? Lube?"

                "Oh my god..." Takumi whispered while he ducked his head. Leo could see his face turning pink.

                "Niles, you're embarrassing him." Leo scolded.  "And no, it's not a date. We're studying, because unlike some people, we want to do well on our midterms. Now go crawl back into the hole from which you came."

                Niles held a hand to his heart, his face dramatically miserable. "That is ice cold, Leo. You wound me. And after all I've done for you."

                "You've done exactly nothing for me, Niles." Leo replies without missing a beat.

                "Now that's just not true! Don't you remember high school?" He asks with a frisky voice.

                Leo's eyes widen and he glances at Takumi who looks intrigued. Then Takumi gets a mischevious look on his face, and Leo shakes his head.

                "What about high school?" The silver haired boy asks.

                "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Leo hurries to reply.

                Niles clicks his tongue. "That's not how I remember it."

                "Niles, I swear to god." Leo says.

                "If I remember correctly, little freshman Leo had the biggest crush on me. Oh, how you blushed and stuttered when you'd say hi to me in the band hallway." Niles finishes his statement by placing his hands on his cheeks, fake swooning.

                "He's who you had that crush on?" Takumi asks warily.

                Leo groaned. "I was young and naive. And obviously I didn't know he was like," he gestured vaguely around, "that."

                "Like what?" Niles asks.

                "Infuriating." Leo answers.

                Niles laughs. "Well, then I'll go be infuriating somewhere else, then. But we're still on for saturday, right?"

                Leo narrows his eyes. "Of course, you idiot.  Now shoo."

                "Fine, fine." Niles says. He saunters a few steps before turning back to wink at Takumi, whose face tinges pink once more.

                A moment of silence passes between the two boys still sitting at the table.

                "So, you don't have to answer," Takumi warns. "but what did he mean, 'all that he did for you'?"

                Leo sighs. "I'll answer that." He presses two fingers to his temple to massage it before he continues. "Well, like he said, I did have a crush on him, and many people knew it. It was highly embarrassing for me, but Niles isn't fazed by anything, so instead of being weirded out or embarrassed, he talked to me. Everyone thought it was out of pity, or that he was playing with me like a toy, but I guess he genuinely considered me as a friend, so to dissuade everyone's talk, he offered to fake date me until everyone stopped. He even kissed me in front of everyone at a competition. That ended up turning into real dating, but we are not together anymore."

                Takumi nods, processing the information. "That's actually really cool of him. I guess I kind of respect him now."

                Leo smiles. "Yes, as vulgar as he is, he genuinely cares for those he considers his friends. No one bothered me after he made a show of our relationship. It was like I was untouchable."

                "Do you miss being with him?" Takumi asks, something like disappointment showing on his face.

                "No, he and I are much better off as friends. We both agreed on that, though we originally broke up because he went to college. I didn't know I'd end up going here as well." Leo explains.

                "You two are definitely interesting friends." Takumi says with a smile.

                Leo suddenly remembers the look of familiarity that came across Takumi's face when Niles spoke to them. "Which reminds me, did you know Niles prior to today?"

                Takumi's face drops suddenly, confusing Leo. "N-no, actually, but I guess I've seen him around."

                "Hmm, alright. It looked like you might have." Leo says, wondering why the other boy is acting strange. "Anyway, back to the end of the war..."

                And so the boys went back to studying for another hour or so, ending their session at the end of the war. It was very early spring, so it was starting to get dark as they both packed up their bags, chatting amicably. They both felt satisfied with what they had gone over, though Leo knew that they had put much more emphasis on the war between Nohr and Hoshido than Mr. Yukimura had probably intended. He couldn't help but drag on talking about his favorite war, and Takumi seemed to discuss it with just as much fervor. Leo had often smiled just at the fact that he was here, talking about history with someone his own age who loved it just as much as him.

                "This was really great." Takumi said as they walked to the front doors. "If you want, we could study together another time?"

                Leo smiled, his heart growing a bit fuzzy at the suggestion. "I find that idea to be very appealing. We should."   

                "Awesome. I look forward to that." Takumi pushed the doors open, then drifted towards the right of the entrance. He smiled back at Leo, his smile turning a bit sad as he said, "Well, my house is just a few streets over, but I better get walking before it gets too late."

                "Oh, alright. I live in the dorms, so I go the other way." Leo said, sadness mirroring Takumi's. "I'll see you in class, then."

                "See you then." Takumi said, hesitating before he turned to walk away.

                Leo watched him walk much further than he cared to admit.


End file.
